Total knee replacement

i beleive in taking your pain meds for a while after tkr,im almost 8 weeks post but im still on my pain pills,they let me walk more and do exercises without any pain..worse thing you can do is just stop taking them,,,

Hi Leslie, you are 3 weeks behind me with TKR . Mine was June . I felt exactly the same as you at that time. It's normal I promise you. I went into emotional meltdown for a few days. As far as medication is concerned please listen to your doctor and don't self medicate or withdraw. I take quite high strength pain meds still as and when they're needed. My GP told me that I wouldn't get addicted as I'm taking them for pain and not for their effect. I have never felt addicted to them. Also my recovery would be better and quicker  with the correct medication which I have found is the case. Plenty of fluids as OFG suggests and plenty of rest even if you have to have an afternoon nap. It's a progressive recovery not an instant one. My knee is still tight and only slightly swollen now, but continuation of exercises and time are both great healers. Keep your chin up youre on the road to recovery it's not a race  

hi leslie its not been long since op im wondering why you stopped the meds ?as i think that you need them maybe a little longer to help with excersises withdrawal from meds can be awful and its worth easing off them slower so it has no effect being tired is very normal at this stage as the op is a major op so being tired is perfectly normal the body is telling you hey give me a chance to recover listen to it and take the rest and dont fight it your body will let you do much more when its ready  swelling can take months to go so dont worry about that and tightness is normal too im afraid at this stage with swelling it sometimes feels tighter just make sure to do excersises as this will help with the tight band it looks like you are doing quiet well so dont be down its a rollercoaster this tkr just hang in there

Hi, my TKR was March 6th and I still get regular swelling. I don't expect that to change any time soon.

I've been on the same pain meds now since January, still taking them due to severe OA in my other knee, in fact had a review with my GP today - I'm taking paracetamol, codeine, tramadol and naproxen. NOT all at the same time, I hasten to add! I see the same GP every time, and we have worked closely to come up with a regime that works for me. Some people will balk at the combination of drugs I'm taking, but I trust my GP completely and know she will tell me if we need to change anything.

Don't underestimate adequate pain relief, it's vital to a successful recovery, in my opinion, along with rest, nutrition and hydration. Don't push yourself too hard or too fast. This is a long road we are travelling, and we will all reach the finishing post at different times, but our journeys are all relativity similar with similar challenges.

Oh bless you, there certainly IS light at the end of the tunnel, especially where sleep is concerned. At the risk of sounding like a rep for a Pharmaceutical company, my GP was able to help with my sleep. After particularly messy meltdown in her office, a few weeks post op, she prescribed me a very low dose of Amitriptyline, to be taken before bedtime. It's generally used in higher dosages as an antidepressant but at a lower dose it acts as pain relief for nerve pain. It also helps you to sleep. Don't try and put on a brave face when you see your GP, be sure and let them know how wretched you are feeling. That way they can offer you the best solutions.

Re your surgeon not prescribing pain meds; I was told that it's because they don't see us often enough to monitor the usage and efficiency of the meds. (It wasn't my surgeon who told me this, but his Registrar). That's where your GP comes in, as they can work much more closely with you.

If you're able to, take a little comfort from the fact that you're not alone in all of this. Although my TKR is coming along nicely, the pain in my other knee from OA is horrendous. Last night I slept no more than a couple of hours, in brief snatches. So as I have said previously, in a strange kind of a way I'm looking forward to my next TKR in a couple of months, as I know the pain from that will be serving a purpose.

Sorry I tend to waffle on a bit, but if there's anything you want to know, or just have a chat or grumble, please don't hesitate. You're welcome to pm me if you prefer.

Good luck with your GP, and I hope today is a better day for you xx

Oh and I forgot, the TKR mantra. All together now:

"Don't stand if you can sit down, don't sit if you can lie down, don't be awake if you can be asleep!"

In other words, rest wherever possible, and if the only time you can sleep is in the middle of the afternoon, then do it! Sleep patterns are for later on in your journey, sleep itself is more important at the moment xx

As Terri said, rest along with hydration are the 2

Most important parts of healing. Dont be bullied into over doing. I've found Dr's and therapists that push you into this all day, every day mentality are a disservice to their profession. As many times as I've been through this and as severe the condition I've never been asked to beat up on myself. Just keep pushing a little more each time. As far as icing, you should be icing every time you do anything with the leg. It controls swelling faster and makes it much easier to go the next time. Remember the hydration

A dried out body won't respond to excercise

I had my TKR on May 29 and continued to take oxycodone as needed until a couple of weeks ago. They were the lowest strength, 5mg, and I could take one or two with a couple of Tylenol which I believe helps the effect. After the first week or so I never took more than one at a time, and by the time I stopped I was down to one a day either at night or first thing in the morning. My surgeon gave me two refills without any questions and then I got more because I had hand surgery but I didn't need to use all of those. I recommend you continue to use the painkillers as needed to make yourself comfortable but keep the dosage low and add Tylenol if needed.

This issue of pain medication is very difficult. One needs to take pain relief to be able to do the exercises essential to recovery. I had my TKR three months ago and gradually weaned myself off of co-codamol (horrible drug) over 2 or 3 weeks. I take naproxen (partly for my other knee!) and paracetamols. This week I had to undergo a MUA and will now have to go back on co-codamol for a while as the pain is bad following the MUA procedure. My 'bend' has improved from 65% to 95% so I need to hang on in there. Sadly, no pain relief and no progress!

The muscles and tendons surrounding the knee takes time to heal and after a good deal of therapy and about 4 months or so you will walk and be happy. I had both knees within the last two years and I started running again.

The pain meds can be addicting and I had my doctor wean me off using clonidine and lorazepam. I never want to take hydrocodone or oxycodone again. The loarazepam (adivan) gives you a comfortable feeling. The paid meds became a crutch for me during my recovery but all bad things need to come to an end.